Nymean Ascendancy
The Nymean Ascendancy is a collection of systems within the Unknown Regions near Chiss space. It started as the Nulvarl Empire formed by Dark Jedi Mastal, Trivas, and Jorell. It was founded in 38 ABY after Jorell was defeated by the Ni'novian Empire with Trivas at the head. It was allied with the Sith and Ni'novia for eight years until declaring independence in 46 ABY over several contentions. It is now an independent state that battles both internal and external threats. The Ascendancy is currently at war with the Tareqi Dominion and the Vei. Characteristics Government As of 52 ABY, the tricameral Council of El'iadar dominates most all aspects of the Ascendancy. The Executive branch has little to no power and is mainly a figurehead. The Supreme Commander is in command of the military with the Admiralty below him to help run the various branches. The Admiralty Court serves as the executive branch and controls military aspects. Military Nymean Military has often been characterized as primitive and underdeveloped. This was changed largely in part of the Military Unification Act which modernized the military forces. Now, most of the Ascendancy's military forces are able to stand toe to toe with any military force in the Galaxy. The integration of surviving Horothrium forces has helped boost the Ascendancy's military, but has created its own internal issues as many do not trust the Horothrium. At present, the Nymean Military enjoys technical superiority over their nearby enemies in nearly all aspects, but finds it difficult to protect the dozens of planets in its borders. Expansion The Nymean Ascendancy is a militarized state and does not attempt to hide that. Member planets join for one of two things: economic prosperity or military protection. In a dangerous galaxy with many hostile enemies in the area, the planets within the Ascendancy have struggled to arm themselves for both protection and expansion. The Ascendancy has an expansionist government that is in constant search for ways to increase its power, influence, economy, and armed forces. The Ascendancy attempts to negotiate with nearby planets to get their entrance into the Ascendancy. If that does not work, it will attempt economic or internal political pressure. If those attempts fail, it has been known to resort to outright invasion. The utter defeat of the Horothrium Hegemony has allowed the Nymeans to double their size in planets and population, but that has come at a price. With added territory comes added administration and more to protect. For planets that are outside the Unknown Regions, a different tactic is needed. With nearby planets, the Ascendancy operates from a position of power. With the rest of the galaxy, they must tread lightly to avoid angering a much larger government. Using the acquisition of Yavin IV as a model, the Ascendancy is on the constant lookout for uninhabited planets rich in resources in which to expand to. Later, it will look for inhabited but primitive planets to offer technology and protection to in return for admittance into the Ascendancy. Currently, internal struggles and new external threats have limited the urge for the Ascendancy to expand. The costs of waging war and maintaining the territory it currently has limits the amount of money and energy that can be spent colonizing or expanding. That does not mean that the Ascendancy will not grab a planet if it can do so with minimal effort, such as Teledia. Foreign Diplomacy The Ascendancy attempts to remain friendly with major powers including the Chiss Ascendancy, Sovereign Remnant, Ter Benix Empire, Confederacy, and any other government that is more powerful than it. They desire to stay neutral in any disputes by the larger governments unless a distinct advantage presents itself by taking sides. Nymean diplomats tended to be arrogant and prideful. Much of this comes from the cultural influences Trivas and his fellow Chiss brought over in regards to other species. The Chiss prejudice towards other species was only helped by the Nulvarl aptitude toward the same. The dominant species in the Ascendancy look down on the species from the rest of the Galaxy, especially humans who dominate much of Galaxial affairs outside their borders. Many dislike humans because of their influence in politics, commerce, and culture which they believe to be hyped up by a vast population of humans and that most of the influences are no better than any other species. Over time and while under the influence of Elan Phramin, the Diplomacy Corps has become less confrontational and more respected around the Galaxy. Society There is a moderate freedom of religion within the Ascendancy. Local religions as well as Jedi or Sith beliefs are allowed as long as they do not damage the Ascendancy's security. There are laws stating when and how a religion may be banned or repressed for the sake of security, but they have yet to be enacted. Religious fanaticism is outlawed when it harms property or other people. Freedom of speech is limited as well, but not oppressed. Political disagreements are allowed without restriction as are religious discussions. The areas of speech that are limited regard to the security and military operations of the Ascendancy. Since the Ascendancy is highly concerned with security, high penalties come with violation of these laws. Demonstrations and protests are allowed with permit, but violence against people or property is not tolerated. If violence occurs in any demonstration or protest, the meeting is broken up with armed soldiers who employ riot gas, stun beams, or even physical force to dispel the mob. Strikes are also allowed except in key military industries during a state of heightened alert or war. These strikes are expected to be peaceful and civil. Workers attempting to strike during a war are imprisoned, fined, or conscripted and replacements are put in position from any available jobless markets. Sometimes, experienced workers from other non-military areas are offered higher salaries to come over and work in military industry facilities. Only once has a military industry attempted to strike, after they were unable to get their jobs back and were fined, no others have followed suit. Arts are nearly entirely left alone by the government. As long as they do not violate security or encourage rebellion, artists are allowed to produce whatever art they desire. While there is not a great deal of government investment in the arts, there are large investments from private donors. Some of the less dominant species take great pride in their art since it gives them an identity. Cultural centers can be found on any Nymean planet which display the arts and theater as well as cultural dances or other rituals. Economy The Ascendancy encourages domestic economic endeavors, especially those geared toward industry. Imports are discouraged because the government does not want great sums of money leaving the Ascendancy. Exports are encouraged to bring money into the Ascendancy. The government does not have much control in the economy. A distinct capitalistic approach is taken to encourage new ideas, private investment, and superior products or services. Taxes are moderate with most of them coming from planetary or local governments as opposed to the national government. Industrial efforts are given a great deal of focus by the government to encourage technological advancements, military production, and exports. Services and agriculture are not shunned, but do not gain the support and interest that industry does. The main currency within the Ascendancy is the Areltsi Credit which is similar in value to the Ni'novian Credit. For external trading, the Ni'novian Credit is used. Languages The official language in the Ascendancy is Chistiv, a version of the Chiss language, Cheunh, modified to be easier for non-Chiss to speak. Chistiv is used in all the national government proceedings to help bridge the language gap between the various species in the Ascendancy. Not all species can reproduce this language, but all species are able to understand it and speak through translators who understand the language. Chistiv is not the widest spoken language, though. The native tongues of the Areltsi, Nulvarl, Yolosa, Lesioni, Jrovenian, and Czenti are widely spoken. Areltsi and Nulvarl languages are spoken by the most people and constantly vie for dominance in elite social circles and business. It is important to note that Basic is not widely spoken. Beings that can only speak Basic are frowned upon as outsiders and inferiors. Since Basic is most popular with humans and the outside Galaxy, it is considered a lesser tongue to learn. Only diplomats, high level businessmen, and some governmental and military officials understand or speak it. History Foundation When Jorell overthrew and exiled Trivas, he took control of the Nulvarl Empire. After attacking the Ni'novian Sith, he was quickly destroyed and Trivas took over control of the Nulvarl Empire. Several more systems joined the Empire there and Trivas renamed it the Nymean Ascendancy. There are several planets within the Ascendancy. While most planets within the control of the Ascendancy are loyal to the Ascendancy, some are actually Sith planets that were put under the control of the Ascendancy because of their closeness to the developed trade routes there. The capital is Areltsi, a heavily populated and industrialized planet with a full shipyard in orbit. The planet was originally an enemy of the Nulvarl Empire, the group of plants that make up much of the Nymean Ascendancy. After Trivas was exiled, Jorell managed to defeat and conquer Areltsi and add it to his dominance. Since it is a larger, more developed planet than Nulvar, Trivas made it the new capital of the Ascendancy. Government Originally, the government of the Ascendancy was a joint military dictatorship and democracy. Trivas commanded the military and handled foreign affairs while the elected body, the Council of El'iadar had jurisdiction over domestic affairs. As long as the military was funded and there was order and peace, Trivas allowed the Council to do as it pleased even though he had the ability to overrule it. When Trivas died, his daughter Eliana took his place. Since she was young and inexperienced, several members of the Council of El'iadar decided to take charge and change the situation to prevent utter catastrophe to the Ascendancy. Instead of giving Eliana the powers her father had, they limited her powers and revoked many of her privileges. She was allowed to command the military and conduct foreign diplomacy, but it was only with Council approved advisers who could and would step in and take charge if needed. These councilmen and their supporters became known as the Triad Party and favored Nymean inclusion and friendship with Ni'novia. In opposition to the Triad Party and in support of Eliana's radical ideas, the A'trest Party was formed. The party developed on the idea of Nymean independence, strong military forces, and expansion. Though it started off small, it quickly gained power. Following the events after the Battle of Sal Maro and Fleet Admiral Setran's assassination, the party was able to gain enough votes to call for an emergency election. Predictably, the A'trest Party won a landslide victory and took control of the Council of El'iadar. They remained in control for some time, but fell out of power after the Horothrium War. Since then, the balance between the three parties has kept one side from completely dominating the Council. Currently, the political outlook is dominated by three parties. The Triad Party tends to be neutral towards Force users and does not support either Order. They are moderates in almost every aspect, though they do strongly oppose Horothrium taking significant authority or dominance in the Ascendancy. They are not pro-war, but are heavily pro-defense and want to see a strong Ascendancy, but not an expansionist one. They have the greatest support of the Home military forces because of their emphasis on building up the military. The A'trest Party tends to oppose the Tetral Order and favors the more aggressive Skyber Order. They tend to be anti-Horothrium and do not hold much support within the military, even though they are not against a strong military. They tend to be pro-war and expansion, especially when the Nymeans are more powerful. The Heliol Party sprung up from the Horothrium population and is made up almost entirely by Horothrium. They are staunch supporters of the Tetral Order and oppose the aggressive tendencies of the Skyber Order. They are anti-expansionist and oppose aggression in all forms. Their relationship with the Home military is strained as they are always fighting to gain power in proportion to their population and contribution to the military. In the government, they are also fighting to maintain freedoms and authority in relation to their overwhelming population. With the addition of the Horothrium planets, the Council of El'iadar has been remade. It is still the dominant legislature of the Ascendancy, but instead of just the Greater and Common House, there is an addition of the Horothrium House, all with equal power. The Greater House has expanded its elite membership to 15 to include the Expansion Region and the Horothrium Sector. The Common House holds one representative from every member planet that does not have a majority population of Horothrium. The Horothrium House has one representative from each planet that has a Horothrium majority. In order to pass a bill, two of the three Houses must pass it with a vote of more than 50%. Road to Independence Upon ascending to power, Eliana has pursued a very aggressive policy of acquisition and expansion. In response to her father's death, she decided to occupy Yavin IV, a traditionally Jedi moon. She believed the Jedi were behind Trivas' death and wanted to strike back. She also wanted to gain revenge for the losses the Ascendancy suffered during the Galaxial War especially at Borleias. This action has caused great friction between the Nymeans and the Ni'novian Empire which opposed her action. While the Nymeans successfully managed to occupy the Yavin system, they nearly ran into grave trouble when the Vagaari attacked. The Vagaari presence caused Eliana to shift her focus from the Jedi to the slaver species as well as draw the Chiss Ascendancy into league with her as well. The Chiss and the Nymeans retaliated by declaring war on the Vagaari and sending fleets to hunt them down. This was done without the support of the Ni'novians, an action that further separated the Nymeans from their Ni'novian allies despite the fact that Ni'novia did not condemn the action. Also supporting her position is a growing distrust of the Ni'novian Sith. Because the Sith Council refused to support her move on Yavin, resentment began to develop. When news of the Vagaari attack reached the Ascendancy, the more radical blamed the Sith outright while even the most conservative and cautious had to admit that there had been a leak within the Sith government that tipped off the Vagaari. While it remains unknown to the general population as to who was behind the Vagaari's presence, Eliana is aware of who sent them and is keeping it to herself for her own reasons. After Yavin, the Ascendancy continued to gather allies both within and outside the Ni'novian Republic to further ensure that her people survive what she fears will be a Sith invasion of the Nymean Ascendancy like what happened to Mikulas' Ter Benix Empire. The Council of El'iadar gave Admiral Erstis permission to make an alliance with Sal Maro for mutual protection against hostile invaders. With the collapse of the Ni'novian Republic in the Sith Revolution, the Ascendancy has risen to a new prominence due to the political power of Eliana and its early support of the Imperialist movement. In the Order of Sovereignty, it enjoyed the freedoms that it desired and during this time spent a great amount of money and effort into fortifying its borders and planets. In 46 ABY, the Sith cult Darkness attacked Yavin IV and quickly overwhelmed the defenses. They captured most of the colonists and slaughtered them mercilessly. The Nymeans were in outrage, but fighting in the Vagaari War prevented any forces from being immediately deployed to investigate or reclaim the system. They later reclaimed the planet after Darkness was defeated. Victory in the Vagaari War boosted the morale of the Nymeans and gave power to the A'trest Party that was encouraging expansion and independence from Ni'novia. When the Galactic Alliance announced plans to invade Sal Maro, the A'trest Party pushed strongly for a Nymean fleet to offer aide. The resulting Battle of Sal Maro left the Nymean fleet there in ruins, but won a major victory in the political field with the newly formed Jedi Confederacy. Independence and Neutrality The battle over Sal Maro and the subsequent assassination of Fleet Admiral Setran caused enough an outrage among the people for the A'trest Party to win an election landslide that put them solidly in power. Among their first acts in power was to declare independence from the Sovereigns. They declined an offer to join the Common Welfare Confederacy and sent notices to all the major governments including the Galactic Alliance of their desire for neutrality. During the Unification War, the Nymeans stayed out of the fighting, though most supported the Confederacy and OoS over the Galactic Alliance. It was not until the end of the war when the final push was began that they sent a fleet. The Nymeans contributed modestly to the Coruscant Campaign. With the destruction of the Galactic Alliance after that, they were able to have peace again. Post Unification War With power having changed from a single executor to the Admiralty Court, Eliana and Jorelas were free to spend their time as they wished instead of dealing with matters of the state. This also quelled the resentment toward Eliana for her actions on behalf of the Galactic Alliance during the war. The Council of El'iadar took more power than it ever had and became the primary source of authority. The Tetral Temple was founded in 48 ABY as a Jedi enclave to train Force using Jedi Nymeans to defend the Ascendancy. Taiphath also became an important planet in the Nymean Expansion Region as it experienced a massive growth from Coruscanti refugees. The entire Ascendancy added roughly 3.5 billion Coruscanti to its numbers, most of which settled in the Expansion Region. Starting around 50 ABY, it was apparent that their neighbors, the Horothrium Hegemony were preparing for war and that something needed to be done about it. The military began building up several planets as defense bases under the Erstis Redoubt Plan. For years, the Nymean military planned and stockpiled for the eventual war that was to happen. Horothrium War On 8/19/55 after a skirmish and a demand from the Horothrium to abandon the Expansion Region, the Council of El'iadar declared war. This started the Horothrium War which was waged for nearly three years and radically changed the Nymean Ascendancy. Many long and bloody battles were fought with billions of casualties by the time the Ascendancy won. The Ascendancy would not have won the war if it were not for the influence of the Tareqi Dominion which launched a genocidal attack against the Horothrium capital and several other planets. The loss of their capital began a series of revolutions and a civil war that ended with the utter collapse of the Hegemony and most of its territory being annexed into the Ascendancy. Golden Age Following the Horothrium War, the Ascendancy entered a golden age of sorts. It had greatly increased its borders and many of the modernization projects matured and brought the Ascendancy to equal strength of other Galactic governments. The collapse of larger governments in the Galaxy meant that the Ascendancy's relative power grew and it was viewed more as an equal in the Galactic community. Force users flocked to the region enabling the Ascendancy to claim a substantial Force based power from both Jedi and Sith that could counter the Force users from other major governments. Despite a few small conflicts, it was a general time of growth and peace. Despite the peace, there were internal issues. Integration and adaptation of the Horothrium into the Ascendancy was often difficult and opposed by non-Horothrium who had lived in fear of that species for decades. Bitter memories of the war meant that Horothrium were discriminated against constantly. There were political rivalries between the three main parties and a significant amount of unrest surrounding the competing Force using Orders. New Wars In mid 77 ABY, the Tareqi began a series of attacks against Nymean planets. Though a full war has not yet been declared, Higara and Tyrius have directed significant portions of the military toward combating this invasion. The Vei quickly joined and managed to score several victories against the surprised Nymean forces. Support for the conflict is divided due to political struggles and concern over the Domonate's aggressive invasion of the Consulate. Category: Nymean Ascendancy